Aizawl (zoramobserver.com): Mizoram government is giving shelter and relief to over 1,600 tribal refugees from Myanmar’s Arakan state who have taken refuge in four villages of Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district.

The refugees mostly Christians and Buddhists fled their country and crossed Mizoram border recently following a clash between Myanmar Army and Arakan Army militants.

Lawngtlai Deputy Commissioner Dr. Arun T said that the government is giving shelter and relief aid to the tribal refugees numbering around 1,600.

He said that makeshift relief camps have been constructed for the refugees and and the government have arranged food and medical supplies for them.

Two doctors and other four helpers are camping at the relief camps to examine the health condition of the refugees, he said, adding that the government is giving free medicine to them.

Dr. Arun T also said that Assam Rifles and police personnel were deployed in the area for security purposes.

Around 1,600 Myanmarese including men, women and children fled their homes and entered Mizoram on 25 November after the Myanmar Army clashed with the outlawed ‘Arakan Army’ militant outfit cadres.

The tribal refugees are being lodged at four villages- Zochachhuah, Hmawngbuchhuah, Laitlang and Dumzautlang in Lawngtlai district.

Earlier officials told reporters that the government would not push back the refugees due to humanitarian ground as the armed clashes continue.

This is the fourth instance in recent past of people from Myanmar entering Mizoram after ethnic troubles in the neighbouring country. The local villagers initially volunteered to provide food to the Arakanese people and arranged shelter for them. Mizoram has a 510 km border with Mynamar and 318 km with Bangladesh, guarded by the Assam Rifles and the Border Security Force, respectively.

Meanwhile, police officials said that there is no report about presence of Rohingya Muslim in Mizoram.

Co-Editor, Zoramobserver.com. Mr. Khojol is a journalist based in Aizawl, Mizoram. He writes for various national and regional media houses. In his free time, he can be caught reading books and watching movies.